Iowa Stubborn - The Music Man

So Iowa.  Land of corn, wind turbines, and Blue Bunny Ice Cream.  For those who think Iowa is a little backwards, I might also point out that it was an extremely early adoptor of significant laws regarding racial equality, as well as being the third state in the US to allow same sex marriage.

Today's song is from the musical The Music Man - whose plot chronicles the activities of con man Harold Hill, who poses as a boys' band organizer and leader and sells band instruments and uniforms to naive townsfolk before skipping town with the cash, but then he falls in love, etc.  It's a lovely feel-good show with some of the most recognizable tunes (like "76 Trombones," "Ya Got Trouble," and "Till There Was You".

Happy listening!

Original Broadway Cast of 'The Music Man' – Iowa Stubborn

Indiana - Jon McLaughin

I have a confession to make... I am smitten with this Jon McLaughin guy.  He could make an album about clubbing baby seals and I think I would listen to the whole thing and love it. He has a gorgeoud, smoky voice, a gift for musical storytelling, and an innate sense of sensitive musicianship that makes me just feel like a richer human being.

He is also smokin' hot.  I mean, look at this guy.

I found this song (and Jon) for the first time while digging for music that fit my continuing "journey through the United States" series. I have listened to it everyday for a week, taught myself the piano part, and am ready to sing it for open mic night. Needless to say, I like it - and I hope you like it as much as I do.

Happy listening!

Jon McLaughlin – Indiana  

Illinois Anthem - Chicago Farmer

Now for something completely different.

This is a ballad about a pair of slighted lovers who get revenge on the girl who wronged them. (Their methods cannot be endorsed, however. Do not do what they did, very bad.)

Happy listening!

Chicago Farmer – Illinois Anthem

Idaho - Feeder

I hadn't ever heard of Feeder before researching this post.  This British pop-metal group has been around in some form since the late 90's, and have had a number of hits over the years.

With a vibrant, clear musical styling (I would describe them as elegant rock), they have a robust catalog of some great music.  Definitely worth a listen.

Happy listening!

Feeder – Idaho

Two Weeks in Hawaii - Hellogoodbye

Today's song is an example of "emo-rock" and this band is a really fun one. Hellogoodbye is a great indie group from the mid-2000's, and although they have changed a bit over the past few years, their music is still sweet, sugary fun.

Happy listening!

Hellogoodbye – Two Weeks In Hawaii

Sweet Georgia Brown - David Grisman and Doc Watson

Two great American artists are featured in today's SongSupper selection.  David Grisman and Doc Watson were two phenomenal musicians who helped shape generations of music in their respective domains.

David Grisman (nicknamed "Dawg" by his close friend Jerry Garcia) is an acoustic musician who continues to shape new music with his Bluegrass-influenced sound. Doc Watson, who died just two weeks ago at the age of 89, was an extremely prolific performer, and was an important figure in the American folk music revival of the 1960's.

Happy listening!

David Grisman – Sweet Georgia Brown

Florida - Patty Griffin

Florida is represented in the ongoing march of states by Patty Griffin, a Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter.

This song is from her 2004 album, Impossible Dream. The sound is a little blues, a little country, and a little bit soul.  Her rich alto voice and clever word-smithing is what caught my attention - hope you like it.

Happy listening!

Patty Griffin – Florida

Delaware - "AWESOME"

So this tune is one of a few songs with Delaware in the title.  It is interesting to listen to, although it defies a very clear categorization.  A little like Queen meets the Decembrists.

Anyway, some interesting sounds in this state name themed song.

Happy listening!

"AWESOME" – Delaware

Connecticut - Judy Garland and Bing Crosby

As artists from an era go, Bing and Judy are two giants.  This was released as part of a "Bing Crosby sings with..." collection, and Judy was the "..." for this tune.

This is a fun, lively tune I had not heard before this project.  Although Judy was in her late 20's in this recording, she was already extremely well known by the time this recording came out.  Bing was the George Clooney of his day, well-known and respected as a multimendia star.

Happy listening!

Judy Garland – Connecticut - Single Version

I Guess He'd Rather Be In Colorado - John Denver

This one is two-fer.  Not only does the song feature the state name in the title, the artist's name features the capital city.  (Actually, his given name was Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr., which explains why he changed his name...)

In addition to an extremely colorful private life that reads a little like a season of Dynasty, John Denver's music reflected an affection for the Centennial State.

Happy listening!

John Denver – I Guess He'd Rather Be In Colorado

California - Tyler Lyle

Unlike the states we have seen so far, there are MANY, MANY songs about California.  The Beach Boys, Katy Perry, The Eagles, Rihanna, John Meyer, Joni Mitchell, The Mamas and the Papas, Train, Mat Kearney, David Lee Roth, The Decemberists, The Ramones, Everclear, Rascal Flatts, P!nk, and oh so many more have all recorded songs all about California.  Some are quite famous, and many are fun to listen to.

So with all of these options, I tried to find something really fun and unusual that you probably hadn't heard before.  I think I found it in the singer/songwriter Tyler Lyle.

Tyler is from Atlanta, having recently transplanting himself to Los Angeles.  I highly recommend listening to more of his music if you can - he has a poet's heart coupled with a raw, honest musicianship that creates something genuinely beautiful.

Happy listening (and happy Friday!)

Tyler Lyle – California

The State of Arkansas - Jimmy Durante

Today I discovered some great songs, including a tune called Arkansas Traveler - which is better known as the "squishing up my baby bumblebee."

Anyway, after looking at a number of pieces from Springstein to Seeger, I found this unusual song. Just try to keep up with the states he mentions.  And in keeping with the theme of this blog, laughter is good for the soul.  :)

I hope you enjoy it.

Happy listening!

Jimmy Durante – The State of Arkansas

Arizona - Paul Revere and the Raiders

There is an awful lot of crappy music with Arizona in the title.  I know this because I have listened to much of it preparing for this post.

Today's song will be one that will stick with you like glue.  You just won't be able to get it out of your head.  It is fun, catchy, and with a only a few lyrics, so you will be able to commit it to memory very quickly.  Move over "Hey Mickey" - here is a song that you won't be able to stop singing all day, regardless of how annoying it may become.

Happy listening!

Paul Revere & The Raiders – Arizona

North to Alaska - Johnny Horton

And we move onto Alaska...

(Funny - I actually just got back from a trip to Alaska last week, in fact.  Highly recommended.)

So, I was dreading sifting through songs with Alaska in the title, thinking there would only be hippie, folksy songs to pick from.  Instead, I found quite a bit of heavy metal, dance, electronica, hip-hop, blues, country western - and absolutely no hippie, folksy songs.

So here is something more classic and fun.

Happy listening!

Johnny Horton – North To Alaska

Sweet Home, Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd

I picked Sweet Home, Alabama.  


This might seem like an obvious choice, but I could also have picked a few others classics - Alabama by Neil Young, Old Alabama by Brad Paisley, or Alabama Song by the Doors, just to name a few.


During my college job, I would hear this classic Southern rock song almost nightly on the radio.  It is so familiar to me - and to much of the modern world - that the lyrics fly right past without really even knowing them.  


(An interesting note - Neil Young, mentioned in the song, actually performed this song once (and only once) as a tribute to the group after the 1977 plane crash that killed 3 of their members, including songwriter and singer Ronnie Van Sant.)

Check out the meaning in the background on the song. 


Happy listening!


Lynyrd Skynyrd – Sweet Home Alabama

Week of June 11 - States (Part 1)

This week - and next week - I will be featuring songs that have the name of a US state in the title (or prominently in the lyrics).  I am interested to see if I can manage to do all 50 WITHOUT reverting to using a state song.

Let's see how I do...

Der Hölle Rache - sung by Luciana Serra

You gotta love a good queen aria.  And this one is the king of queen arias.

Written by Mozart, Die Zauberflöte was a very popular Songspiel (a kind of opera with some spoken dialogue). To this day, this aria remains as one of the most difficult works for soprano in the genre. There are all sorts of recordings of this piece.  Some are really, really, REALLY bad. 

The version in the video was performed at the Metropolitan Opera a number of years ago.  (And yes, that is Kathleen Battle as Pamina!)

Happy listening!

Pineapple Princess - Annette Funicello

There are actually an awful lot of songs about princesses.  Unfortunately, almost all of them are from Disney movies.  Seriously.  Ugh.

Fortunately, there is this delightful little tune from a previous generation before all the princesses were swallowed up by the giant Disney enterprise.

Happy listening!

Annette Funicello – Pineapple Princess

Rebel Prince - Beautiful South

So let's talk about princes, shall we?

First there is Prince William. Yup.  Nice guy, could see hanging out having a beer with him while we watch football (what you yanks call "soccer") or perhaps Rugby.

And then there is Prince Harry.  Without a doubt, my favourite member of the Royal Family (so much so that I am spelling "favourite" as if I am a Brit...)  Yeah, he's pretty cute.

This cover version of Rufus Wainwright's "Rebel Prince" is indicative of Beautiful South.  They cover some of the most famous songs from artists like Blue Oyster Cult and Matthew Sweet and truly make them their own.  (listen to their unusual take on this tune from Grease, for example...)

Happy listening!

The Beautiful South – Rebel Prince

Queen of Hearts - Juice Newton

Royalty week continues with an homage to the matriarch of the monarchs, the Queen (of hearts).

As I was researching this song, I came to realize just how many of Juice Newton's songs formed the musical backdrop of my childhood.  How can you not groove out to "Love's Been a Little Bit Hard on Me" or sway along to "Angel of the Morning" or "It's a Heartache"?

"Queen of Hearts" was a huge crossover hit back when it was released in 1981, reaching a #2 position on the pop charts, and climbing to the #14 spot on the country charts.


On another note, I have always wondered why anyone would name their child "Juice."  In this particular case, I suppose it was better than naming her "Fig." (Actually, Juice's given name is Judy.)

Happy listening!

Juice Newton – Queen Of Hearts

The King And All Of His Men - Wolf Gang

We start royalty week with a song about the main man, the King (and all his men, of course).

Max McElligott is relatively new to the music scene, performing under the name Wolf Gang.  A Scot who is still in his mid-twenties, Wolf Gang has released one album, Suego Faults, which has only very recently launched in the US.

The sounds on the album are genuinely lush and complex, but also very well crafted - a combination that I find to be extremely rare in someone who is so new in the music scene.  Beyond this song, the rest of the album is interesting, catchy, and ripe with melodies that are just as addictive.  I think he has a great sound and has some really excellent music on Suego Faults.

Happy listening!

Wolf Gang – The King And All Of His Men

Week of June 4 - Royalty

Flipping through the TV channels this past week, I saw a number of stories about the Royal Family: an interview with Prince William, discussion about Kate's hats (yes, you too can have a hat just like Kate!), and a retrospective on Queen Elizabeth's life. So this week, all the music featured will in some way talk about royalty.   (Not necessarily Kate's choice of hats, however...)

Happy listening!  

The Song That Goes Like This - Spamalot

I know I featured a song from Spamalot a few weeks ago, but I couldn't pass this one up during the "songs about songs" week. If you haven't listened to the entire album, it is definitely worth it.

Happy listening!

Sara Ramirez – The Song That Goes Like This - Original Broadway Cast Recording: "Spamalot"